1978 Chevrolet Malibu
Classic Auto Mall
6180 Morgantown Road
Morgantown, PA
610|901|3804
MILEAGE
55755
YEAR
1978
ENGINE
8
LOCATION
Morgantown, PA
STOCK
6685
FULL SPECS
DESCRIPTION
1978 Chevrolet Malibu Classic 4 Door Sedan
For consignment, a 1978 Chevrolet Malibu Classic 4 door sedan with a title verified 55,755 actual miles. Just when you were sure that every ubiquitous Malibu from the late 1970\'s had disappeared from the face of the planet, comes this, a preserved Classic 4 door that\'s been the recipient of lots of new parts.
Note: Due to modifications of the emissions control devices installed by the manufacturer, please check your local, state, and federal laws to determine if this vehicle is applicable for use on public highways in your area
Exterior
Single stage Camel Metallic paint coats this boxy sedan, and delineations come in the form of silver window trim, wheel opening trim, rain guards, door edge trim, and a lower panel trim piece that spans from the back quarter to the front fender. Its satin finish is augmented by bright chrome bumpers front and rear, and a metallic grid grille between chrome bezel square headlights. Standard for the times was a strip of rubber on the bumper and rubber tipped bumperettes. What was not standard are the twin exhaust tips, in chrome, that we see on this car. 14-inch wheels carry tires with an early 2022 date code and have a red center cap with a gold Chevy bowtie that blends well with the bronze car. A dealer nameplate is on the car and while these have mostly disappeared from the landscape, today dealers still mark their cars with decals or license plate frames. As a result, these plates have become collectible in their own right. Imperfections on this car include corroded bumper fillers and a paint chip.
Interior
Familiar GM vinyl and plastic door panels hang from our doors and plush carpeted lowers fill the bottom, and horizontal lines dress the vinyl panels. This design element repeats on the wonderfully 70\'s and basic front bench seat, in camel vinyl that presents in two different shades of brown. The rear bench could not be more unobtrusive with just those lines dressing the smooth vinyl in a continuous flow that spans the width of the rear. The camel steering wheel leads to a black faced dash where square shapes dominate the design, and a horizontal speedometer is in the driver\'s sightline and tops out at 85 mph. The center dash houses the familiar GM box that holds the A/C controls and AM/FM radio. The tan low pile carpet is in good shape, showing some use, and is protected by some vintage GM rubber mats. The flannel like headliner shows some bumps but is fully intact and the visors follow suit.
Drivetrain
Under the hood is a driver quality but clean 305ci V8 with a 2-barrel carburetor and a TH350 3-speed automatic transmission and in 1978, still sending power to the rear wheels where it finds a 10 bolt axle with 2.29 gears. Our consignor states there\'s a new water pump, fuel pump, spark plugs, wires, alternator, valve guides, and the carburetor was adjusted. Power brakes are supplied with discs in front and drums in the rear.
Undercarriage
The single exhaust enters a Flowmaster muffler in the back which has a hole, and the muffler sends out two tailpipes to the rear. We note the lack of a catalytic converter. The underside is driver quality and mostly dry, although there might be a bit of oil sling from the front end of the driveshaft. There\'s minimal surface rust and no invasive rust is evident. Our consignor states the gas tank is new, the lines have been cleaned, a new fuel filter added, along with a new trans seal being installed and the gaskets are new and fluids were changed. The car retains the standard configuration of coil springs in front and a 4 link with coil springs in back.
Drive-Ability
Right back to middle school we went when this was common transportation, and no one complained about its simplicity. It simply was. This car starts with a pump of the gas and a turn of the key and rolls out onto the test loop where it tracks straight, rides smooth, turns fine, and has adequate power for commuting. Visibility is very good with the large windows and the mid-size car provides a manageable commuter that veered from the land yachts also common in this era. As noted by the consignor, the high speed position of the fan works intermittently. All other workable items function as they should. While Classic Auto Mall represents that these functions were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot guarantee these functions will be working at the time of your purchase.
Viewers of this page might laugh and question the classic status of this car but guess what, mid-70\'s to early 80\'s cars that were once ubiquitous always find an audience. Always. We suspect they touch an emotional nerve in those who grew up in this era and to find one that\'s in preserved condition is like going back to good times when school was fun, summers were long, and families still bonded at the dinner table. Yep, it\'s more than just a car. It\'s a representation
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